Cheetah Conservation Botswana
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Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Cheetah Conservation Botswana, Nonprofit Organization, Office B5, Kgale Siding Office Park, Gaborone.
A lot of camera trap work is scrolling through tens of thousands of pictures for hours with many of those pictures having no animals. It can be a very unexceptional part of a researcher’s day. That is until something unanticipated happens. Take servals, for example. For years, these spotted cats were not known to reside in the Ghanzi district; but then one day, while sifting through a batch of images, there one was. Caught on camera, right before our eyes.
Another time, we pulled memory cards from a cheetah marking tree expecting the usual suspects. Instead, we found photos of a cheetah and brown hyenas in the same frame, at the same marking, at the same time. As far as we could tell from the available scholarly literature, such interactions had never been captured before.
Between 2014 and 2015, we also had a special group photo series begin when one of our camera traps snapped four adult male cheetahs moving together. They became known as the ‘Ring Brothers’ since a coalition of four is unusually large for a mainly solitary carnivore. From the first to the very last surprise capture, every photo of those four brothers felt like a gift.
Camera traps are a great technological intervention to wildlife monitoring, especially if you have your sights set on an individual or behavioural patterns – they are the eyes that stay watching even when you’re sleeping. Unanticipated sightings turn an attention-demanding exercise into a treasure hunt, making a long work day feel a little lighter.
Rangelands cover more than half of the Earth’s surface yet remain some of the most undervalued landscapes on the planet. This year, World Desertification and Drought Day shines a light on the essential role rangelands play in sustaining food and water security, biodiversity, climate resilience, and cultural identity under the theme: “Rangelands: Recognise. Respect. Restore.” The message resonates to us in Botswana and the western Kalahari landscape that CCB calls home.
Botswana is a rangeland country. Our vast savannahs and semi-arid grazing lands support livestock production, wildlife, and pastoral livelihoods. But these systems are increasingly under pressure from land degradation, prolonged droughts, and unpredictable rainfall. The ripple effects of these reach food security, rural livelihoods, and ecosystem balance.
To recognise, respect, and restore rangelands means acknowledging their value, honouring the knowledge of pastoralist and indigenous communities who have sustainably managed these lands, and investing in sustainable grazing practices, water management and community-led stewardship.
Desertification and drought are not distant environmental issues, they are lived realities shaping food security, livelihoods, and ecosystems across Botswana and beyond. Now is the time to act. We are uniting against desertification and drought!
10/06/2026
The late, great writer, Maya Angelou once said, “When I look back, I am so impressed again with the life-giving power of literature. If I were a young person today, trying to gain a sense of myself in the world, I would do that again by reading, just as I did when I was young”. In this reflection, we see how books have a way of unlocking a child’s imagination. Do you remember falling in love with a character or animal from your favourite book as a child?
In 2020, we published our first bilingual children’s picture book: “Xabe: The Cheetah Hero/Xabe: Mogaka wa Matlotse”. The story was co-authored by Engagement and Awareness team members, Goabaone Britz Malepe and Katlego Kolanyane-Kesupile, with Connie Sebati assisting on translation. The story is set in the western Kalahari of Botswana and follows Xabe, a young boy who – following being denied inclusion in his favourite game by his peers – wanders into the bushveld surrounding the village of Qabo and unexpectedly encounters a cheetah cub caught in a snare. Having learned about the plight of cheetahs and the importance of coexistence through CCB’s work, the young boy’s simple act of kindness propels him into a rather dramatic, and dangerous, situation.
The thematic landscape of the story features messaging on bullying, living with disabilities, compassion, appreciating the environment, accountability, and friendship. It is a tale about courage, kindness and finding your voice even when the world tells you to stay quiet – all values that we believe are perfect for children aged 5 to 12. Additionally, the richness of the story and illustrations make it the kind of book you can revisit over and over as you grow, and still find something new to leave with.
Whether you have a child, or know a child, you’d like to gift a copy to, we are absolutely ready to get it into your hands. Books are available through CCB offices in Gaborone and Ghanzi. This is just one way to support CCB’s work, share our passion for conservation and education, and open the doors and windows of someone’s imagination – and there are few gifts as great as that.
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Office B5, Kgale Siding Office Park
Gaborone
PRIVATEBAGBO284,BONTLENG
